ORIENT'S Danielle Carter and her England teammates have qualified for this summer's UEFA Women's U17 Championships after a successful group campaign in the Czech Republic.

15-year-old Danielle, a Leyton Orient Girls Centre of Excellence player, scored three goals in the victories over the Czechs and Belgium, while a 0-0 draw in the final game against the Netherlands secured their progression to the final stage.

The Lions will now face group one winners France in a semi-final showdown in Nyon, Switzerland and coach Lois Fidler is looking forward to the challenge.

She said: "The second qualifying round provided the squad with exposure to good opposition in terms of the pace of the games, the physical presence of the opposition, their pace and power and of course the tactical side of match preparation and tournament football.

"Sometimes it's not about 11 key players but a squad of 18 team players all of which are developing at different rates and who offer something different. All of the players are young and all gained valuable experience at this level which contributed to the success of the team.

"Part of the experience is about understanding the team strategy, where players fit and how their individual contribution affects the team performance.

"What was really pleasing was how young players like Danielle stepped up and showed real character in what were trying conditions and under the pressure of qualification. As long as these girls continue to buy into the whole package and understand that International football requires players to develop as athletes also then the future is certainly bright."